The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-22
|qHE GRAND JURY SPEAK.
A FEARFUL ARRANGEMENT OF THE sU-
pREME COURT.
The Jury Say the Laws "as inter.
preted by the Courts, Work Hard
ship and Injury by ProstrxunE
and Destroying the Credit Of the
people, by Fostering and Eneouf:
aging Fraud and Dishonesty, ana
by Furnishing Cloak anu
ShfaId tn TrickStera.S

ana SnS
people, by Fostering and Enconr:
aging Fraud and DishOnesty, anu
by. Furnishinga Cloak an"
Shield to Tricksters."
TO his Honor Judge 4. p. Aldrtch,
Presiding Judge.
We the Grand Jury beg to make the
following presentment:
We have visited the county offices,
and find the officers accurately ana
faithfully performing their duties, and
offices neatly and judiciously arranged
and kept, and the officers courteous and
obliging.
We visited the Poor House. and find
the inmates we'll cared for, the premises
are kept clean, and the inmates are con-
tented and we'll pleased with their treat
ment.
We also visited the Jail and feel it to
be duty and pleasure to commend
the Jailer, Capt. Parks, for his efficiency
in the performance Of his duties.
We have examined and approved the
books Of all the Trial Justices Of the
county, and they are accurately and
we'll kept. We recommend that the
case pending against ex-1rial Justice
Ransom be Withdrawn, as he has ex-
planned and corrected his error.
We have examined the finances OF
the county, and find while the county
is considerably in debt, its finances are
in healthy condition, and that its pa.
per is readily discounted at the Bank,
and we are reliably informed that all
the debts will be paid during the latter
part Of the year.
We find the dockets Of this court are
encumbered with many trivial and In
significant cases, and we would recon-
mend that the laws in regard to stealing
from the field, and to petit larceny cases
lin general, and to stealing live stock,
and to all cases of forgery, where the
amount involved does not exceed twen-
ty dollars, be so modified as to put all
such cases within the jurisdiction Of
Trial Justices, and that they be allowed
to sentence guilty offenders in all such
cases to the penitentiary for term not
TO exceed one month for each one dollar
Involved, and that no such cases be
tried in the Circuit court except on ap-
peal, when errors of Trial Justices
might be corrected.
We find source Of complaint and OF
evil in the absurdities and incongruitles
and abstruseness of number OF tht
Statute laws unwisely enacted in the
past few years.
As interpreted by the courts, they
work hardship and injury by prostrat-
ing and destroying the credit of the
people, by fostering and encouraging
fraud and dishonesty, and by furnishing
a cloak and shield to tricksters and
swindlers, while they afford but little
protection to upright and fair-deal,ng
people, and that little costs more than
it is worth, if available at all; under
these laws the meanest and most sys-
tematic scoundrel may be strictly law
abiding citizen while practicing his
schemes of knavery.
These laws are misleading and decep-
tive in the extreme, and while they are
fair in their exterior appearances, they
contain in disguise all the elements Of
discord and wrong.
They are calculated to decoy the in
nocent and unsuspecting into the lntrl7
cacies of plots and counter plots covered
as snares in the coils of their real mean
ing, and invisible except to the most
learned. Judges and subtle lawyers,
and under their different phases OF le-
gality all the intrigues and Vaccinations
of dishonesty are made right, while hon.
est men are thus defrauded.
Therefore the obligations Of the peo.
pie to perform duties or to pay honest
debts, thus encumbered with uncertain
ty, are worth but little, and the re-
sources of the county cannot be ntil-
lied for the want Of means. We deem
the credit of an enlightened people if
properly protected and fos:ered to be
worth more than their cash, and if sus-
tanned and upheld by wise and iudicious
laws, requiring obligations to be faith
fully performed. is just as available as
cash; and if, instead of afording legal
clap traps and technicalities for the eva
sion of duty, they furnished rigid rule
Of honesty and uprightaess, the morals
and prosperity of the country would be
promoted. and men would be encour-
aged and induced to prosper by fair
rather than by foul means.
Several laws have been enacted as
make-shirts and subtcrfuges for the mis-
fortunes of the people, and' their ten
denotes have not been we'll considered,
and as consequence we have fallen in
to greater misfortunes than those sought